"Oh by the way--these small stores and hotels WANT as MUCH of your (and fellow racer's) business as you will give them.  All they expect is the same common courtesy they would ask of any customer. Oh and a typical customer for many is a camper, fisherman, construction worker, muddy ranch hand or a hunter in the fall.  Some of them might even be as dirty and smell as bad as a TDR racer."

Right on, Marshal!  I don't think increased business is going to piss anyone off in the little towns along the route.  I live in an out-of-the-way former mining area that depends on tourism and you can walk into any store or restaurant around here in any sort of outfit and they will be glad to have your money!

As to predictions, I'm only really interested in TD and I will be surprised if many more than 50 sign up.  3-4 weeks for the event plus countless training hours plus $$$ will limit the field regardless of interest.  I also predict no one will be arrested or detained; it's a public trail so no individual could reasonably be hassled - the authorities would need to identify organizers in order to enforce regs.  I can be in compliance by leaving at 10 instead of 9 and once you hit the Goat Creek trailhead on the Smith-Dorrien at mile 12 it's all public roads and trails.

Bob

So, Stephen,

Did you feel at all bearanoid camping in that spot?

Bob

...I do recall that as part of early Divide racing's idealogical struggle, talk of 'qualfiers' was about not wanting the unitiated to make a mockery of what Stamstad/Curiak intended by 'fun-touring' their way down the route well inside physical/emotional comfort zones. Food for thought, I guess.

Always hard to figure out in advance.  Some folks with vast experience choose to cruise at a level well below their ability while those with no experience push themselves to the max.  If those without ultra resumes had been excluded in the past we would have missed some impressive performances, not to mention Paul Howard's excellent book.

Bob

re:chafing, it might be a bit of a "doh" statement, but make sure your shorts/chamois fit perfectly and have no hot spots.  Start of TD = bad time to try new shorts, IMO.

Bob

What time does Elkford stores close up in an evening? (Not ordered my Canada maps yet).  I was thinking of this as a decent target for night one as a mid to back packer.  I don't want to be 'racing' to hard in the first 100-150 miles of a 2,750 mile race, but I would want an early start on day 2.  Sparwood sounds to far for day 1 for me but I have no intention of restricting myself if I am feeling good.

 

Elkford mini-mart hours 5am to 10pm last year.  Phone 250-865-2415
Elkford Motor Inn was $113.  Phone 250-865-2211
Hi Rock Inn was $94.
Elkford Campground Phone 250-865-4470

There're also a market and a general store, but those closed at 6pm last year.

Sparwood A&W (250-425-0345) was open 6am to 10pm and Sparwood Express Mart (250-425-2616) was open 5am to 10pm.

Bob

"Best-laid plans of mice and men oft(en) go astray" (on account of creature-comforts); ie. where to camp/eat and how to avoid reducing your miles by 'settling' is TD's greatest challenge...and why if one chooses to use motels, one will never realize their (timed) potential.

Words of wisdom indeed!  However, the trick is to figure out, without being familiar with the area or grizzlies, what is a relatively safe bivy spot and where I'm just a bear burrito.  I would prefer not having to ride until past midnight as night riding is generally slower and it messes up my schedule for the following day, so I will continue to try to sift through the alternatives.  Ideally I guess I need to get strong enough by June to make it to Eureka in 2 days, as that is by far the best way to do it.

Thanks Matthew,

Just trying to determine options.  I cannot think of any way I can make it to Sparwood on Day 1 at a reasonable hour, given my abilities.  If I am physically unable to make Sparwood Day 1 I have my doubts about being able to get to the border Day 2, which leaves Sparwood or Corbin on Day 2 (not nearly far enough) or Butts Cabin (could be occupied already on a Saturday).

Does anyone know what the Ram-Wigwam campground is like (just after Cabin Pass at the junction of Cabin Road and Wigwam Mainline in the Canadian Flathead)?  It's supposed to have a table and toilet.  I'm wondering if it has bear boxes or if the outhouse is big enough to sleep in. 

Bob

Hi,

Could you tell us what your mistakes were and how you plan on improving?
Might be helpful for all us first-timers.

Thanks

Well, keep in mind that I am not an experienced racer, just a bike rider with a bunch of backpacking and outdoors experience.  Having said that, OMG I made a bunch of mistakes starting with not training long and hard enough - this was the big, overarching mistake.  I think it is impossible to be in too good shape for this.  Due to a combination of factors I stopped riding about 3 weeks prior to heading out to Banff - no good.  This year I will be riding right up until I need to pack the bike up for the plane.  I will also be doing a lot more hill work in the months prior.

Psychological mistake - allowing myself to be WAY too excited about being there.  My mind was getting a bit messed up with all the excitement.  Being a fan and a participant at the same time doesn't work too well.  This year I will be reminding myself it's just about riding a bike down a path.

Next mistake - bonking during the first 60 miles due to not eating enough breakfast and taking enough food along (miscalculating how long it would take me to reach Boulton Creek) - stupid mistake, I don't know what I was thinking.

Those were the main actual mistakes.  Other than that I learned that light weight is the ultimate comfort consideration; in other words there is nothing that you can take with you that will provide more comfort than leaving weight behind.  Less is more.  I will be ditching body weight and at least 5 lbs of gear this year.  If you don't NEED it don't bring it.  If you are unsure, don't bring it - you can pick it up in a town along the way.

Hope this helps.

Bob

Hi Pete,

I sent you an email.  Sorry I made her mad - hopefully it will still help your cause!  I think from a spouse's viewpoint this race is just a pain, if not totally pointless.

For me, now that I had a taste of it last year I have a much better focus to my preparations plus I discovered a LOT of mistakes to correct.  It will be interesting to see how much I can improve.

Bob

Well, Blackhound, you certainly can't get much better advice than from Matthew and Marshal.  To add my own 2 cents (or pence) I think it's a great advantage to get to Banff several days early and ride the first part of the route, perhaps to Elkford and back.  Knowing exactly how far you can expect to make it that first day will take away some anxiety and allow for better planning.

Bob

I am hoping to fly to North America about 3-4 weeks before the race to acclimatise.  What is the weather like towards the end of May in the Calgary / Banff area?  Suitable for 2 weeks hard riding and a rest week?  (I am looking for somewhere warmish and dryish at ~4,000ft ideally). Another option is to fly to NM for a couple of weeks and then fly North for the start but logistically probably a bit more difficult - and expensive!

You could always take the train to Scotland and bike the Cairngorms for a couple of weeks.

I might be late to the game on this, but I just saw Salsa now has their Fargo geometry set up to take a 80mm folk.  A Ti version also.  Would this be a set up to consider for a Tour Divide attempt?  Has anyone complete the Tour Divide with drop bars?  

DC

Joe Meiser did it on a Fargo in '09 and would have (probably) placed in the top 3 if not for a drivetrain mishap near Lima.  I believe a Brit or Aussie or Kiwi may have also done it with drop bars a few years back as well.

[Firefox can't find the server at www.greatdividerace.com.]

Is the GDR officially dead now?  As of a few weeks ago they still did not have their 2010 winner listed and now:

Firefox can't find the server at www.greatdividerace.com.


Bob

Bob, here in Germany some of the best and strongest riders come from the north; it's flat, I mean table top flat. Anyway, the wind is a great substitute for mountains, at least as far as training goes. I've never been to Florida so I can't say if there is always wind there.

Bob, are you going to give the TDR another try next year?

Phil

I'm hoping to, but still need spousal approval  .

I had a bit of a medical issue last year that has been resolved, but I also need to get into much better shape generally, as Marshal has pointed out above.

Climbing for me is more a mental than physical challenge (up to a certain grade!).  Not being able to coast combined with lower speed makes it seem a chore, so I need to work on attitude as much as anything.

Bob

Bob, yes 0 degrees celsius.

Got a silk liner and and Alpkit bivvy bag.  Beyond that a bit unsure.  I have a very light weight tent which I can split and just bring an outer, possibly with the addition of a bug net.  A tarp is an option though I do not have one currently. Still a bit of work to do here.

If you haven't seen it yet, Marshal Bird's wrap-up of thoughts on his amazing 2010 ride is here:

http://desertmountaindivide.blogspot.com/

and he has excellent recommendations on gear.

15 miles up the valley from me is a 9 mile climb.  Will spend a few days riding up and down it in preparation for TD11, may get train to and from start as well rather than a flat road.

My sleeping bag arrived yesterday, ended up with a Western Mountaineering Summerlite rated to 0degree's.  Packs up a lot smaller than my other bag so hopefully will not be buzzing the front wheel on the bumpy bits.

Well below freezing this weekend and 3 of us are out overnight - taking my 4 season bag though!

How's the rest of your TD sleep system configured?  Bivy, tent, tarp??

I assume your 0 degree bag is Celsius.

ride in hurricanes?

Ha!  You ride in and around Hurricane(s) all the time, don't you?

How do you Florida guys (and other flatlanders) train for the climbing?  I have a few nice 3 mile long, 600 foot elevation gain hills around me but that's about it.

Bob

If Kurt started in Banff most of the AW starters would probably pass him at the NM border